Bidens plant named ‘SUNBIDEVB 1’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Bidens  plant named ‘Sunbidevb 1’, characterized by its upright to outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit; moderate vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; year-round flowering habit; inflorescences with bright yellow-colored ray florets which become lighter yellow towards the apex under high temperatures conditions; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Bidens ferulifolia.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNBIDEVB 1’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Bidensplant, botanically known as Bidens ferulifolia and hereinafter referredto by the name ‘Sunbidevb 1’.

The new Bidens plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Fukaya, Saitama, Japan. The objective ofthe breeding program is to create new compact and mounding Bidens plantswith year-round flowering habit and numerous attractive inflorescences.

The new Bidens plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in Fukaya, Saitama, Japan during the spring of 2010 of twounnamed proprietary selections of Bidens ferulifolia, not patented. Thenew Bidens plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a singleflowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollinationin a controlled greenhouse environment in Fukaya, Saitama, Japan duringthe autumn of 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new Bidens plant by vegetative cuttings in acontrolled environment in Fukaya, Saitama, Japan since the spring of2011 has shown that the unique features of this new Bidens plant arestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Bidens have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Sunbidevb 1’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Sunbidevb 1’ as a new and distinct Bidensplant:

-   -   1. Upright to outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit.    -   2. Moderate vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit.    -   4. Freely flowering habit.    -   5. Year-round flowering habit.    -   6. Inflorescences with bright yellow-colored ray florets which        become lighter yellow towards the apex under high temperatures        conditions.    -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Bidens differ primarily from plants of the femaleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Bidens have serrated margins        whereas leaves of plants of the female parent selection have        entire margins.    -   2. Plants of the new Bidens are freely flowering year-round        whereas plants of the female parent selection are not freely        flowering under low temperature conditions.

Plants of the new Bidens differ primarily from plants of the male parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Bidens have serrated margins        whereas leaves of plants of the male parent selection have        entire margins.    -   2. Plants of the new Bidens are freely flowering year-round        whereas plants of the male parent selection are not freely        flowering under high temperature and long photoperiods/short        nyctoperiod conditions.

Plants of the new Bidens can be compared to plants of Bidens ferulifolia‘Danyel9’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,968. In side-by-sidecomparisons, plants of the new Bidens differ primarily from plants of‘Danyel9’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Bidens are broader than and not as upright        as plants of ‘Danyel9’.    -   2. Plants of the new Bidens have smaller leaves than plants of        ‘Danyel9’.    -   3. Leaves of plants of the new Bidens have serrated margins        whereas leaves of plants of ‘Danyel9’ have entire margins.    -   4. Plants of the new Bidens flower earlier than plants of        ‘Danyel9’,    -   5. Plants of the new Bidens are freely flowering year-round        whereas plants of ‘Danyel9’ are not freely flowering during the        summer.    -   6. Plants of the new Bidens have smaller inflorescences than        plants of ‘Danyel9’.    -   7. Plants of the new Bidens do not produce seeds whereas plants        of ‘Danyel9’ produce seeds.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Bidens plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possibleto obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Bidens plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunbidevb 1’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Sunbidevb 1’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown in 18-cm containers during the summerin an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under culturalpractices typical of commercial Bidens production. During the productionof the plants, day temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 30° C. and nighttemperatures ranged from 10° C. to 20° C. Plants were three months oldwhen the photographs and description were taken. In the followingdescription, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Bidens ferulifolia ‘Sunbidevb 1’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of Bidens            ferulifolia, not patented.        -   Male parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of Bidens            ferulifolia, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About seven days at            temperatures ranging from 20° C. to 25° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About ten days at            temperatures ranging from 12° C. to 15° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About ten days            at temperatures ranging from 20° C. to 25° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About two            weeks at temperatures ranging from 12° C. to 15° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous; typically white in color, actual            color of the roots is dependent on substrate composition,            water quality, fertilizers, substrate temperature and            physiological age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright to outwardly spreading and            mounding plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit with numerous            primary and secondary lateral branches potentially forming            at every node.        -   Plant height.—About 28 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 62 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 19 cm. Diameter: About            1.1 mm. Internode length: About 2.2 cm. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144B and tinged with            close to N199A.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 2.1 cm.        -   Width.—About 1.7 cm.        -   Shape.—Roughly deltoid; pinnatisect.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Truncate.        -   Margin.—Serrate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Sparsely pubescent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, reticulate.        -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:            Close to 137C; venation, close to 137D. Developing and fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 138C; venation,            close to 138C.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 5.1 mm. Diameter: About 0.8 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely pubescent.            Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 137D.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance.—Single (daisy) inflorescence form with ray and            disc florets forming acropetally on a receptacle;            inflorescences positioned above and beyond the foliar plane            on strong peduncles; inflorescences face mostly upright.        -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering habit with about 180            inflorescences developing per plant.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower year-round in Japan;            early flowering habit, plants begin flowering about four            weeks after planting rooted young plants.        -   Inflorescence longevity.—Individual inflorescences last            about seven to ten days on the plant; inflorescences not            persistent.        -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 8.4 mm. Diameter: About            4.3 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 6A.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 3.2 cm. Depth (height):            About 7.5 mm. Disc diameter: About 7 mm.        -   Receptacles.—Diameter: About 5.5 mm. Height: About 0.9 mm.            Color: Close to 145B.        -   Ray florets.—Number of ray florets per inflorescence: About            six to eight arranged in a single whorl. Length: About            1.9 cm. Width: About 8.8 mm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Rounded            and shallowly emarginate. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire.            Aspect: Horizontal to recurved. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper            surface: Close to 9A. When opening, lower surface: Close to            9B. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 12A to 12B; color            does not change with development; distally, under high            temperatures conditions, color becomes closer to between 9D            and 11D. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 12A with            stripes, close to N200A; under high temperatures conditions,            color becomes closer to 9B.        -   Disc florets.—Number of disc florets per inflorescence:            About 50. Shape: Tubular, elongated; apex, five-pointed.            Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Texture, inner            and outer surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, when opening,            inner and outer surfaces: Close to 13A. Color, fully opened,            inner and outer surfaces: Close to 22A.        -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About ten in a            single whorl. Length: About 3.5 mm. Width: About 0.9 mm.            Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate, fused.            Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 137C.        -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 4.2 cm.            Diameter: About 0.9 mm. Strength: Strong; flexible. Aspect:            Upright to outwardly, inflorescences held above and beyond            the foliar plane. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to            144B tinged with close to N199A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets            only. Quantity per disc floret: Five. Filament length: About            1.5 mm. Filament color: Close to 145C. Anther shape:            Ellipsoidal. Anther length: About 1.3 mm. Anther color:            Close to 165A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close            to 14A. Gynoecium: Present on ray and disc florets. Pistil            length: About 5.1 mm. Style length: About 3.7 mm. Style            color: Close to 8C. Stigma shape: Bifurcate; apex curled            outwardly. Stigma color: Close to 21A. Ovary color: Close to            16D.        -   Seeds.—Seed development has not been observed on plants of            the new Bidens.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Bidens have not been    shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Bidens    plants.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Clematis have exhibited good    garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and temperatures    ranging from 5° C. to 35° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Bidens plant named ‘Sunbidevb 1’ asillustrated and described.